Sickness (nausea) and cancer drugs

Some cancer drugs may make you feel or be sick. Read more about which drugs can cause sickness and what treatments can help.

About sickness from cancer drugs

There are many different types of cancer drugs. Some of them may make you feel sick.

If a drug can cause sickness, it doesn't mean it will make you sick. Everyone reacts differently. All cancer drugs have side effects, but not everyone is affected.

It's not possible to tell in advance who will feel or be sick or how bad it will be. It can depend on:

the drug or combination of drugs you are having

the dose

how you react to the drug

how you have reacted to drug treatment in the past

Some people believe that if non cancer drugs or alcohol make them sick they are more likely to have sickness with cancer treatment. But this is not always the case.

Drugs that cause sickness

Drugs that can cause sickness include:

chemotherapy drugs

hormone therapies

biological therapies

bisphosphonates

painkillers

Chemotherapy drugs

Not all chemotherapy drugs make you sick. But if they do, it generally starts from a few minutes to several hours after having the drug.

With some drugs the sickness lasts for a few hours, or until the next day. Sometimes it can last for several days.

It's likely that if you're sick the first time you have a chemotherapy drug, it will probably make you feel sick each time you have it. But let your doctor, nurse or pharmacist know so that they can try other anti sickness medicines.

Hormone therapies, bisphosphonates, painkillers

Other drugs, such as hormone therapies, bisphosphonates or painkillers can make you feel queasy when you first start taking them. But generally this wears off within days or weeks. It’s possible to have longer term sickness, particularly with stronger painkillers.

Biological therapies

Some biological therapies can make you feel or be sick. With newer drugs, doctors may not be aware of all the possible side effects.

Patient stories on sickness and cancer treatment

"I seem to get sickness more than other people I know. I start to feel sick 2 days after getting home from hospital after a chemotherapy course. It starts with a foul taste in my mouth and throat and I can feel the tablets lying on my stomach, a sort of greasy feeling.

I'm always sick, and then I feel better for a while. I'm often sick 3 to 5 times a day but am OK at night. It is worse for the first few days after I leave hospital and then it gradually gets better until my next course of chemotherapy. I take anti sickness tablets but for me they don't seem to help. My doctor is concerned about me getting dehydrated so I drink plenty of fluids.

I find bitter tasting things like bitter lemon and grapefruit very refreshing but I find sweet things have no taste. I avoid bread and potatoes and stodgy things."

JR gets sick after chemotherapy but anti sickness tablets help – and so does eating little and often

"I have never been sick with my chemotherapy. However on day 2 of a chemotherapy course I do feel sick. I have a heavy feeling in my stomach a bit like an overeaten feeling and it won't go unless I lie down. Eating sometimes makes it worse although not eating may bring it on. Therefore I eat little and often.

The nausea lasts for 5 or 6 days, day 4 being the worst. The anti sickness tablets are great and work within 15 to 20 minutes of taking them. In hospital I'm given the tablets regularly and this seems to work well."

PV only got sick after the third course of chemotherapy. Anti sickness drugs seem to make it worse

"I felt fine after my first two courses of chemotherapy but after my third course I did feel sick and I have felt worse again after my fourth course. I have only vomited a few times but since my 3rd chemotherapy I have felt sick most of the time and I often retch. It seems to get worse when I am waiting for something like a scan which I am worried about. And I felt much worse in hospital than at home.

I've gone right off crisps and beer (not that I used to drink much!) and I prefer marmite on toast and milky things like ice cream. I have taken anti sickness drugs but I feel these may have made it worse. My doctors have said it is normal to have this sickness and not to worry but that I can ring at any time if I am concerned."

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